The beauties of homemade limoncello are twofold: It’s fairly easy to make, and it’s not as sweet as many commercial versions. In fact, when Planter’s House proprietor Ted Kilgore used to tend bar at Monarch, the limoncello mojito was consistently the former Maplewood restaurant’s most popular cocktail. Here’s how you, too, can make the liqueur at home:
1. Add the zest of 12 lemons, 10 oranges, or eight grapefruit to 1 liter of Everclear. (For best results, scrub the fruit gently with warm water and a mild brush; next, use a Microplane-style grater to obtain the zest, or outer skin, which contains the essential oils; avoid the white pith beneath, which is bitter.)
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2. Allow the zest to steep in the liquor for a week, over which time the spirit will slowly absorb the aroma, color, and flavor of the lemons.
3. Create a simple syrup by adding 1 pound of sugar to 2 quarts of boiling water. Cool the syrup, then combine it with the infused spirit.
4. Once blended, your limoncello is ready to be bottled. Other recipes call for vodka and extend the maceration period to a month or two, but the higher-proof spirit absorbs the essential oils faster, meaning that the limoncello is ready to drink in weeks rather than months.
5. At a higher proof, limoncello does not need to be refrigerated, but it’s typically kept in the fridge or freezer so that it can be served chilled.
Prefer to purchase limoncello instead? Consider Luxardo ($23.99 at The Wine Merchant) or Pallini ($22.99 at The Wine and Cheese Place).
